Prosecutors dismiss Diddy team's 'baseless' claim about Cassie's video leak

US lawyers have responded in court to claims from Sean “Diddy” Combs‘lawyers that government agents leaked informationincluded images by Combs physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Venturato news media.

In a filing Wednesday evening in Manhattan federal court and obtained Thursday by USA TODAY, prosecutors said Combs’ attorneys had not provided sufficient evidence that any information had been leaked from the federal grand jury investigating him, adding that Combs and his team knew the video came from elsewhere.

The video referenced is hotel surveillance footage from 2016 CNN released in May shows Combs kicking, punching and dragging Cassie to a hotel elevators.

“The defendant baselessly accuses agents of ‘(Department of Homeland Security)’ – who do not have the authority to issue a grand jury trial – of secretly obtaining the Intercontinental Video without the knowledge of prosecutors ,” the filing reads.

In addition, the government claims it “failed to obtain any video of the attack,” and investigators did not have footage of the hotel attack until CNN published the clip.

Prosecutors also called his demand for the accusers’ names a “thinly veiled” attempt to hijack the government’s case and help him publicly defend himself against the more than two dozen men and women filing civil lawsuits over his alleged sexual misconduct.

“This improper request must be denied in its entirety, especially here, where there are serious and ongoing concerns about victim and witness safety, tampering and intimidation,” prosecutors wrote.

However, Combs’ attempt to expose his accusers got a boost on Wednesdaywhen U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil in Manhattan said a woman suing Combs over an alleged 2004 rape cannot remain anonymous. Vyskocil cited Combs’ interest in investigating the woman’s credibility and the public interest in public legal proceedings.

Diddy’s lawyers claim government agents are obstructing his right to a fair trial

Combs’ team believes that since March, the government has “strategically leaked confidential grand jury materials and information, including the 2016 Intercontinental videotape, to prejudice the public and potential jurors against Mr. Combs.”

In Wednesday’s filing, prosecutors said the defense “baselessly” alleged that government agents were the source of material reported by news media. Lawyers wrote: “It strains credulity to suggest that law enforcement independently obtained the Intercontinental Video with a grand jury subpoena that they had no authority to issue.”

In the Oct. 9 filings, the defense asked the judge for relief “in connection with what the defense alleges was a series of unlawful government leaks that resulted in damaging, highly prejudicial pretrial publicity that can only taint the jury pool and Mr. can rob.” Combs from him right to a fair trial.”

His lawyers, Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, said there should be a hearing to investigate alleged government misconduct and that government agencies involved in the case should reveal communications and documents related to alleged “leaks” to the media.

Combs’ team’s request for an evidentiary hearing to investigate alleged government misconduct is still pending.

They also asked the judge to issue an order banning federal employees from disclosing evidence to the news media, as well as the “suppression of any evidence leaked by government employees.”

However, on October 25, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled denied imposing a gag order. Instead, he wrote, both sides are expected to comply with existing laws that prohibit attorneys, investigators and government agents from disclosing grand jury proceedings and disclosing non-public information that could undermine a fair trial. disrupt.

What are the claims against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs?

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York say they began working with Homeland Security Investigations’ Human Trafficking Squad “in or about November 2023” and “began investigating Combs and others for violations of federal criminal law.” ”

That same month, Cassie made accusations of rape, abuse and sex trafficking in a civil lawsuit against the music mogul. Combs and Cassie has settled her civil suit a day later. Combs’ attorneys revealed in their filing that she “received a substantial eight-figure settlement.”

The hip-hop superstar was arrested at a hotel in Manhattan on September 16 and indicted sex trafficking, extortion and transportation to engage in prostitution the next day. Investigators say the 54-year-old extensively planned to use his finances and status in the entertainment industry to “fulfill his sexual desires” in a “recurring and widely known” pattern of abuse.

He’s locked up in the Special housing unit at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklynr since then and has maintained his innocence, pleads not guilty to all federal criminal charges and denies alleged wrongdoing in filing civil lawsuits against him this past year.

All attempts by Combs to date to get him out of jail until his trial on May 5 have been rejected. They are demanding a court of appeals ruling that would overturn a ruling September 18 decides to deny his request to be released from jail on conditions that include a $50 million bond.

Contributions: Jonathan Stempel/Reuters